طعمه‌جوی و خاین و ظلمت‌پرست ** از پنیر و فستق و دوشاب مست
It is a (greedy) food-seeker and a traitor and a lover of darkness, besotted with cheese and pistachio nuts and syrup.
باز اشهب را چو باشد خوی موش ** ننگ موشان باشد و عار وحوش
When the white falcon has the nature of a mouse, it is an object of contempt to the mice and a disgrace to the wild animals.
خوی آن هاروت و ماروت ای پسر ** چون بگشت و دادشان خوی بشر
O son, when the nature of Hárút and Márút was changed and He (God) bestowed on them the nature of man,
در فتادند از لنحن الصافون ** در چه بابل ببسته سرنگون
They fell from (the eminence of) verily, we are they that stand in rowsinto the pit at Babylon (where they remain) shackled head-foremost.
لوح محفوظ از نظرشان دور شد ** لوح ایشان ساحر و مسحور شد 3005
The Guarded Tablet was removed from their sight: sorcerer and ensorcelled became their tablet.
پر همان و سر همان هیکل همان ** موسیی بر عرش و فرعونی مهان
The same arms, the same head, the same figure—(yet) a Moses is celestial (in his nature), while a Pharaoh is contemptible.
در پی خو باش و با خوش‌خو نشین ** خوپذیری روغن گل را ببین
Be always in quest of the (inward) nature and consort with him whose nature is good: observe how rose-oil (otto) has received (imbibed) the nature (of the rose).
خاک گور از مرد هم یابد شرف ** تا نهد بر گور او دل روی و کف
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the (holy) man (buried there), so that the (owner of an illumined) heart lays his face and hands on his grave.
خاک از همسایگی جسم پاک ** چون مشرف آمد و اقبال‌ناک
Since the earth (of the grave) is ennobled and made fortunate by the neighbourhood of the pure body,
پس تو هم الجار ثم الدار گو ** گر دلی داری برو دلدار جو 3010
Do thou too, then, say, “(First) the neighbour, then the house”: if thou hast a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.
خاک او هم‌سیرت جان می‌شود ** سرمه‌ی چشم عزیزان می‌شود
His dust (body) is endued with the character of his soul: it becomes a collyrium for the eyes of those who are dear (to God).
ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.
سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).
داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”
آن یکی درویش ز اطراف دیار ** جانب تبریز آمد وامدار
A certain dervish, who was in debt, came from the outlying provinces to Tabríz.
نه هزارش وام بد از زر مگر ** بود در تبریز بدرالدین عمر 3015
His debts amounted to nine thousand pieces of gold. It happened that in Tabríz was (a man named) Badru’ddín ‘Umar.
محتسب بد او به دل بحر آمده ** هر سر مویش یکی حاتم‌کده
He was the Police Inspector, (but) at heart he was an ocean (of bounty): every hair's tip of him was a dwelling-place (worthy) of Hátim.
حاتم ار بودی گدای او شدی ** سر نهادی خاک پای او شدی
Hátim, had he been (alive), would have become a beggar to him and laid his head (before him) and made himself (as) the dust of his feet.
گر بدادی تشنه را بحری زلال ** در کرم شرمنده بودی زان نوال
If he had given an ocean of limpid water to a thirsty man, such was his generosity that he would be ashamed of (bestowing) that gift;
ور بکردی ذره‌ای را مشرقی ** بودی آن در همتش نالایقی
And if he had made a mote (as full of splendour as) a place of sunrise, (even) that would (seem) to his lofty aspiration (to) be an unworthy action.
بر امید او بیامد آن غریب ** کو غریبان را بدی خویش و نسیب 3020
That poor stranger came (to Tabríz) in hope of him, for to poor strangers he was always (like) a kinsman and relative.
با درش بود آن غریب آموخته ** وام بی‌حد از عطایش توخته
That poor stranger was familiar with his door and had paid innumerable debts from his bounty.
هم به پشت آن کریم او وام کرد ** که ببخششهاش واثق بود مرد
In reliance upon that generous (patron) he ran into debt, for the (poor) man was confident of (receiving) his donations.
لا ابالی گشته زو و وام‌جو ** بر امید قلزم اکرام‌خو
He had been made reckless by him (the Inspector) and eager to incur debts in hope of (being enriched by) that munificent sea.
وام‌داران روترش او شادکام ** هم‌چو گل خندان از آن روض الکرام
His creditors looked sour, while he was laughing happily, like the rose, on account of that garden (abode) of generous souls.
گرم شد پشتش ز خورشید عرب ** چه غمستش از سبال بولهب 3025
(When) his (the Moslem's) back is warmed by the Sun of the Arabs, what does he care for the moustache (vain bluster) of Bú Lahab?